Willow - Amazing and Beautiful Experience

I got to say, "This is one of the best restaurants in Singapore." The Contemporary Japanese cuisine here looks so beautiful and its taste is absolutely beautiful and complex. Chef Nicholas Tam uses the natural flavours of the ingredients to create plates of pure delight. The taste of each component of each course is distinctive, able to shine through the multitude of flavours and at the same time complements other components so well.

The service here is top notch, elevating the dining experience to be more than amazing. Very professional, friendly, thoughtful and attentive, the service crew manages to remain nonintrusive and always be around to attend to requests or top the drinks. Yes, my sake is almost always filled with the sweet refreshing alcohol due to the timely topping up.

The setting here is of simple elegance with a touch of the vibe of embracing nature due to the cherry wooden furniture and the dried flowers on the serving plates. Best to get the seats at the kitchen counter to have the full experience of dining here. It's cool to see the energetic chefs meticulously prepare the dishes right in front of the patrons. 

Appetiser Akami comes in lovely shades of deep red and packed within the cute tart shell are raw tuna cubes, nomori, beetroot and an array of ingredients to create sweet umami. I love this natural sweetness that simulates the palates.

Another dainty tart shell topped with pretty yellow flower is stuffed with cubed Hotate from Hokkaido, artichoke and lemon cream. This pleasantly surprises me by taking the taste profile in another direction: savoury umami. Yes, both have umami as core flavour but they couldn't taste more different. Excellent start to the meal.

Pain Au lait is served piping hot, and I love it. This bun is the fluffiest and softest bun I ever have. And with the nori butter sauce incorporated into the bun for that taste of ocean, this becomes the best bun I ever have. It is so good that I highly recommend alternate between eating it on its own to fully appreciate the delicate flavours and then with katsuobushi cream for the extra zest and creaminess.

Shima Aji is usually stronger in taste as compared to other fishes. The chef turns this into a lovely planty sweetness by pairing it with rhubarb, umebosh and roasted kelp. Very well-executed dish.

Sawara from nagasaki is full of  briny sweetness, and the accompanying ingredients such as hourensou and sakura lily accentuate it. The pretty mould of luxurious caviar stacked on top of the fish, with its refreshing, distinctive buttery sweetness, elevates this dish to another level.

Dry Aged Duck, with its beautiful roasted skin, is tender, juicy and has a rich, full-bodied taste. The White Asparagus, interestingly, has this unique herbal flavour that is a perfect match with the taste of the duck. Black and White Garlic cream adds dimension to the taste with its sweet pungency.

I decide to add on Kimmedai since I don't want to miss out on any good stuff while here lol

And this is definitely a good choice of mine since the beautifully roasted fish with its slight charred crispy skin and firm creamy flesh hits all the right notes in terms of taste and texture. The koshikari rice with pearl-like sheen is starchy and full of flavours.

The second part of enjoying this dish consists of pouring the roasted bone soup into the rice. The soup is incredibly rich in flavours. This is pure comfort food. I feel so satisfied when savouring this.

The dessert, Ichigo, definitely impresses too. The Japanese strawberries is unbelievably sweet. So sweet that my eyes widen for a second when popping one into my mouth. The gelato, sake lees and warabi mochi add layers of flavours and texture to yield a well-rounded dessert that is creamy and refreshing at the same time.

Petit Fours comes in the form of Brillat-Savarin pistachio, which is savoury! I'm very surprised by its taste and I love it.

Another one is Jivara, where the rich chocolate with caramel is punctuated by the citrus bitterness of orange to lift up the whole taste.

Gold embossed wine menu

Array of lovely sake cups for choosing. The sake recommended, Sakari Junmai Daiginjo Carafe, is so sweet and clear, I love it.

Quinta Porrais GLS specially recommended to go with the main course of Aged Duck. Very good pairing.

The journey here is so wow and exciting, and Chef Nicholas Tam reinterprets Japanese ingredients in a different way to provide a unique dining experience. This restaurant is a must-visit for foodies and bon viviants.

Thoughts: Simply Awesome and Amazing.

39 Hongkong St

Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (via Exit A, don't follow Google's recommendation of Exit B)

Firangi Superstar - Playful with flavours and It Works Excellently

Indian cuisine is all about rich spices, which is good, but Firangi Superstar is more than that. It is about the enjoyment of finely balanced flavours from the spices.

The food here is oh-my, oh-so-good. Prepared and served in contemporary style, exciting and multifaceted in taste, every dish here simulates the tastebuds in their own different ways. This is definitely one of the best Indian restaurants.

The restaurant itself is the definition of opulence, with posh setting, old world ornaments and decorations, luxurious plush sofas and dark wooden tables. And there is also French music in the background. I feel like I'm transported to an exclusive party in the Old World Europe with Indian's influences. This is one of a kind experience.

By the way, since it is slightly darker here, in order to take clear and bright photos, do not move after clicking the shutter button, for at least one second. Using direct flash makes everything looks bad, so don't bother with it.

The service here is outstanding, being very friendly and giving me excellent recommendations on the food, wine and dessert.

WADA YOU WANT? is actually Crab Cutlet with Crispy Lentil and Guindilla Pepper. Beneath the cute deep fried, crispy spherical breadcrumb crust is a briny sweet ball of shredded creamy crab meat. Being very lightly seasoned with spices, the nuanced flavours of the crab can shine through. This is so good already when eaten on its own. Dab a dot of the accompanying mildly spicy sauce makes the taste even more exciting. Too much of the sauce may overwhelm the delicate flavours of the crab, so best to go easy on it.

Paper-thin Papads and Crackers, with a small dash of spices added, is such a joy to much on. And Coriander Mint Chutney is the MVP here. It's so refreshing in taste, and with a lace of sweetness, it really lifts up the overall taste of the crackers. Smokey Tomato Chutney is pretty nice, being earthy and slightly spicy in taste.

THE HUNTER OR THE HUNTED features Amritsari Kulcha, which is a kind of flatbread, completed with Pork Vindaloo and Truffle Honey on top. The shredded pork is unbelievably succulent, fine and moist. And there is a ingredient with jelly-like texture incorporated into the pork to amp up the juiciness. This is pork very well-done, in fact, perfectly done. I should say, "The best shredded pork dish I ever have." Truffle honey adds a lovely earthy aroma to make the taste even more well-rounded.

THIS IS ALSO NOT ALOO GOBI is Smoked Heirloom Cauliflower, Potato Chips and Cashew-Raisin Vinaigrette. Well, I'm not into cauliflower actually, but this dish totally totally wins me over. Charred a bit on the surface for extra sweetness, the mild taste of cauliflower is accentuated by the rich flavours of Cashew-Raisin Vinaigrette. Wafer-thin potato chips give a nice variation in texture.

Interesting palate cleanser of Crab Soup. It's full of umami! With a bit of spiciness.

WARM KHEER is an awesome dessert. With Cacao Nibs and Caramelised Almonds for a good bite, the stars are the Coconut Sorbet and the pearl-like translucent Sago. Rich in creaminess, yet light at the same time due to the bouncy sago pearls, this is one good indulgence.

Complimentary lollipops to seal the sweet deal.

This newspaper is actually the menu

Firangi Superstar is really one place that can change one's mind about Indian cuisine since it is so different in terms of food and ambience. I really enjoy myself here!

Thoughts: Really a Superstar!

20 Craig Road #01-03

Nearest MRT: Outram or Tanjong Pagar

Ippai Modern Izakaya - Special Yummy Japanese Tapas

I actually noticed Ippai from quite a long time ago since the eclectic exterior design of neon lights, Japanese ukiyo-e drawings is very striking. But since it is located within Dorsett Hotel, I had assumed it is a Japanese Buffet. Yes. I should have known it’s lzakaya instead due to the setting. Anyway, better late than never.

I’m all hyped up to try the food here the moment I saw its menu featuring Japanese Tapas, called Tapasu in Japanese Romanji. I like unique concept of Japanese food served in small plates so that I can try more menu items in one sitting. In addition, the food here is pretty unique, and of course yummy, so dining here is a worthwhile experience.

The interior of Ippai is that of modern, cool, upmarket Izakaya style. A great place to chill, get comfy, enjoy some good food with friends. And enjoy some sake while at it lol

The service is also very good and attentive. And they make some good recommendations on sake and food. In addition, it’s nice that they let me know of this “one for one tapas” promotion so as to be kinder to my wallet 👍🏻

The very interesting Negitoro Cone is packed with so many ingredients, as evident from the photo, and so much flavours. Creaminess, umami, tangy zest, planty pungency all stuffing into the cute cones, whose crunchiness works very well to enhance the overall texture. I also love the thoughtfulness for wrapping the cones with paper.

Kurobuta Miso Yaki is pretty juicy with nice lightly charred exterior, and comes miso sauce and mayonnaise. A hearty nice treat to munch on.

I love Ebi Tartar Yaki. This is my favourite of the night. Lightly seasoned with a dollop of tartar and a dose ofvflying fish roe, the subtle briny sweetness of the succulent prawns shines through and takes the centrestage.

Hotate Truffle Uni Ice-cream is so luxurious. The uni ice-cream at the centre is naturally sweet with a lace of umami. It’s coldness complements the scallop slices very well. It’s decadent and delicious, but the price is much steeper than that of other dishes.

Interesting trio of sake pairing, and it's for twenty bucks only. Super value for money.

Besides the items I had tried, here are lots of other unique dishes in the menu. I want to try them too!

By the way, this restaurant serves Don sets instead during lunch. Some look interesting, but since I’m more for the experience, I opted for dinner to try the tapas.

Thoughts: Nice Unique Japanese Tapas!

332 Dorsett Residences #01-03

Nearest MRT: Outram

Morsels Restaurant & Private Dining at Dempsey Hill - Lovely Meal at a Lovely Cottage House

Going down to lush greenery surrounded Dempsey Hill, I'm just looking to try Morsels' latest set lunch that looks promising, and in the midst of a nice ambience. But when I slide open the door of a barn-like building and then step inside, I go, "Wow!" So homely, so quaint, so lovely, the place's interior is so different from those of other restaurants in Singapore. This is like a rustic cottage house, filled with pretty handmade crafts, cute ornaments, lots of real fresh blooms (I love fresh flowers ...), seashells, glowing soft lights and solid wooden furniture. This is like the ultimate place to get that feel of being in countryside, with all the comforts. So yes, I end up taking lots of pictures.

Awesome ambience aside, what matters most is still the food here, and it definitely matches up to the ambience, delivering subtle surprises with a myriad of clean and unique flavours. Various techniques of curing and fermentation are employed to extract different kinds of flavours for use in the French dishes, and it works beautifully. I love every course of the set lunch.

Service is outstanding: being very friendly, patient, thoughtful and knowledgeable about the food. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoy myself here.

The pretty trio of appetisers are:

Fresh Seasonal Oyster soaked in citron green tea kombucha vinaigrette and olive gel. Refreshing in taste, with loads of umami and hints of zest. This oyster packs so many harmonised flavours. A very good start.

Second appetiser is Sanchoku Corned Vegetable Cream. Original version is beef, they nicely changed it to vegetarian version due to  my dietary preferences. Within the crispy pani puri contains a delicious lava-like, creamy, savoury custard, perked up by the tanginess of cornichon, a small pickled cucumber.

Mushroom Garum Broth is so comforting to sip on. It is made from extract the essence of fermented mushrooms, resulting in a clear broth that tastes so meaty and earthy. The puff pastry twisty, spinkled with powdered herbs, is a nice crispy accompaniment to the broth.

The Multi-Grain Bread here is filled with the aroma and goodness of grains. The texture is so great, being crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The taste of grains is instantly perked up by the simulating flavours of fermented green chilli butter spread. I love the novelty of the spread here.

Cured Stolt Farm Turbot Carpaccio is clean in taste, highlighted by the array of subtle flavours of smoked zucchini dashi, fermented cucumber gel and 8Gems Caviar. The crunchy texture of iceberg vegetable is such a nice contrast to the carpaccio.

Tender Jeju Abalone with light briny sweetness & also tender Sakura Chicken goes very well with the lightly flavoured multigrain risotto (Japanese rice, California Shortgrain, Bali Rice ...). Puffed rice scattered on top gives a nice crunch to the texture. When trying the risotto on its own, I can fully appreciate the deep flavours of Morsels 4YO doenjang and pickled beets.

Primrose Farm Pork Tenderloin is unbelievably sweet and tender! It goes so well with sauce Rockerfeller, and especially so with kumquat red pepper kosho that lifts up the whole taste. The baby gem is crunchy and delicious too.

Classic French hospitality with sightly sour, nice palate cleanser served.

Apple is one of the best Panna Cotta I ever have. The rice whipped panna cotta is creamy yet light at the same time due to the addition of apple lemon balm kombucha. And the shiso granita is what makes this dessert simply amazing. The refreshing flavour of shiso cuts through the creaminess to elevate the entire taste.

Yummy Petit Fours, and I especially love the creamy and slight chewy nougat with cherry and raisins packed within.

Nice French wine recommended to go with the set lunch.

A very special barn-like door as the entrance to this quaint restaurant. Take note of the sign hanging off the door handle to know if the restaurant is open for business already.

Actually I had heard of Morsels a long time, but didn’t got around to come here. The new set menu introduces a fresh breath that makes me sit up and take note of this hidden gem. Chef Petrina Loh’s unique and creative take on preparation of the food really impresses me. I look forward to savour more.

Thoughts: Wonderful Experience like no Others

25 Dempsey Road #01-04

Nearest MRT: Napier